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Post by Hippolyta on Dec 4, 2009 13:52:35 GMT -5
Santiago de Cuba was founded by Spanish conquistador Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar on June 28, 1514. In 1516 the settlement was destroyed by fire, and was immediately rebuilt. This was the starting point of the expeditions led by Juan de Grijalba and Hernán Cortés to the coasts of Mexico in 1518, and in 1538 by Hernando de Soto's expedition to Florida. The first cathedral was built in the city in 1528. From 1522 until 1589 Santiago was the capital of the Spanish colony of Cuba.
The city was plundered by French forces in 1553.
(Taken from Wikipedia)
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Post by Hippolyta on Dec 4, 2009 13:53:23 GMT -5
The Anglo-Spanish War An English fleet arrived in Santiago off the island on May 11th, 1655. The following day, Venables occupied Santiago de la Vega (later known as Spanish Town). The spanish were hopelessly outnumbered, but Venables unwisely gave them time to consider his offer of terms for surrender. Although the spanish officially surrendered on May 17th, 1655, they had nearly all taken the opportunity to turn their cattle loose and escape to Cuba, leaving their settlements bare of plunder. The Spanish also released their slaves and left them behind in the mountains to barass the English until troops for the reconquest of Jamaica could be raised. The freed slaves, known later as "Maroons", were quickly organized into a fighting force. These Maroons continued to raid Engish plantations and settlements into the 18th century.
The Spanish Blackade. Negotiations between England and Spain continued while the Western Design expedition was under way. Since 1654, Cromwell insisted that Spain should grant religious liberty to English Protestants in Spanish territory and that English merchants should be allowed to trade freely in the West Indies. King Philip IV of Spain refused, asserting that England had no right to trade in the Americas, which were claimed as Spanish sovereign territory.
In May 1655, after Spain's ambassador confirmed to Cromwell that there would be no concession, secret instructions were sent to the General-at-Sea to intercept supplies or reinforcements sent from Spain to the West Indies and to prepare to capture the homeward-bound Spainish plate fleet. Despite the protests of English merchants over the loss of Spanish trade, the Council of State supported Cromwell. War with Spain was declared on October 15th, 1655, which Cromwell issed a manifesto claiming that the war was justified because of past Spanish aggression against English colonies in the West Indies.
When the English conquered Jamaica in 1655, they renamed the capital Spanish Town. Since the town was badly damaged during the conquest, Port Royal took on many administrative roles and functioned as an unofficial capital during the beginning of the English reign.
Order of Santiago - the Spanish Order of knighthood The order comprised several affiliated classes: canons, charged with the administration of the sacraments; canonesses, occupied with the service of pilgrims; religious knights living in community, and married knights.
As of 1655 some of the new duties of the order is to defend the belief of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.
Their symbol was a cross of Saint James, a red cross terminating in a sword (cross fleury fitchy in heraldry), which recalls their title de la Espada, and a shell (la venera), which they doubtless owed to their connection with the pilgrimage of St. James.
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